strut terminal for metal-



Dec. 7,. 1948. w. [-1. FERGUSON ET AL 2,455,664

STRUT TERMINAL FOR METAL-BENDING JACK'S Filed Sept. 15, 1945 Invenifora; m mZZamHFrgzr/smz 5y JoHtgWQeddes I 430 MW Maya Patented Dec. 7, 1948 UNITED sfTATfss PATENT optics 3 h 2,455,654

STRUT TERMINAL FOR METAL- BENDING JACKS ht William H. Ferguson, Maiden, and John W.

Geddes, Boston, Mass assignors to H. K. Porter. Inc.. Everett Mass a corporationyof Massachusetts Application September 15,1945;Serial No.616,572 h 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-24) This invention relates to an abutment-enga ing member adapted to be utilized as a part of a strut assemblage which includes a jack as a part thereof sucha-s is used in repairing automobile bodies by bendingoperations thereon. My inven- In repairing automobile bodies which have been damaged by collision, etc., it is customary to bend crushed parts back to their original positions by the use ofa jackiconveniently hydraulic jack) utilizing therewith suitable fittings or attachmentsto provide a Work-engaging portion suitable for the work at hand in an assembly of a suitable lengthto permit positioning of the extensible strut member of which the jack forms a part advantageously with relation to the work and to a suitable supporting abutment. Thus in Fig. 1 we have illustrated byway of example one such strut assemblage embodying a hydraulic jack I on which is mounted a so-called rocker spoon of the type described in the patent to Ferguson 2,311,041 and including the spoon member proper l2, the middle point of which is pivoted to the fitting I4 mounted on the rain I6 of the jack while one end is; pivotally connected by meansof an extensiblelink 18 to a stationary portion of the jack. Hereinthe base of the: jack receives an extension member 20 to providethe desired overall length in the assemblage and on the lower end of thisextension is a terminal member or foot illustrative of the invention and more fully disclosedinFigi 2 hereof. In the use of such an assemblage or one similar thereto, the foot may be positioned on theplatform of a socalled door and body machine such as that illustrated in the patent to Ferguson 2,275,894 or against some relatively rigid part of the automobile being worked upon, in the latter case usually on a scantling or plank which in turn rests on the body. The member 30 herein referred to as a foot is not ordinarily used in contact with the part to be bent.

It has been known hitherto to provide an abutment-engaging part comprising a large bellshaped body of rubber mounted on a cup-like base which could be couple-d to the strut such as the extension 20. This was designed to crush and be deformed into interlocking relation with the parts with whichit was engaged. The device which we are about to describe is quite different andhas many advantages in use in contrast with such a foot member having a hemispherical or similarly well rounded convex engaging face.

Referring now to Fig. 2, themember 3!) herein shown comprises a rigid metallic member 32 in the general form of a hollow cylinder having at one end suitable means for rigidly coupling it to the extension 20 or similar member on which it is to be mounted, here shown as a straight pipe thread 34 terminating a relatively shortdistance below the upper extremity of the cylinder. The opposite end of the end wall of the hollow cylinder1is provided with a bulbous enlargement 35 forming an annulus; the downwardly facing surfaces of which areroundedand which preferably defines an external overhanging shoulder 38. The internal diameter of the annulus may be substantially less than that of the cylinder proper preserving, however, an open center as shown. The outer wall of the cylinder is provided with a number of well rounded, circumferential ribs 39 which are separated by corresponding reversely rounded grooves. Herein the crests of the ribs and the shoulder 38 are tangent to a common cylinder.

A body of rubber 40 is molded about the end and the lowerportion of theside walls of the memberfllahd vulcanizedin position. Good results are obtained from a rubber composition testing on the ShaWplastometer, scale A, from to '70 units. The higher readingsare obtained when taken relativelyclose to an underlying por-j tionof themetallic core or mounting element 32. Such rubber may be characterized as firm yet yielding and resilient.

The l'owerendof this body of rubber has a flat face 42 parallel to the lowerface of the annulus 36. In the actual practical embodiment which is illustrated in Fig. 2.in which the maximum diameter ofthis rubber covering was about 4 inches, the thickness-of the rubber body below the lower face of the annulus was about of an inch and it extended up into the interior of the annulus providing a relatively deep body of rubber not directly supported at the axial center of the rubber covering. Conveniently, as shown, the depth of the central zone of the rubber body is such that it extends past the interior shoulder defined by the annulus and is looked around the same. The diameter of the rubber covering is substantially greater than that of the member 34' providing lateral portions 44 extending over and covering the ribs 39 and bonded to the side wall at their location. It will be apparent that the marginal portion of the rubber constitutes in effect a cantilever r bracket providing, as against strains exerted upwardly viewing Fig. 2 0n the outer portions of the face 42 of the covering, a resisting support along the depth of the side wall and from the overhanging faces of the ribs 39 thereon.

The form of foot shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2 except that itis of smaller diameter, the outer surface being more nearly cylindrical rather than diminishing in diameter upwardly as in the case of Fig. 2. The arrangement and cooperation of the parts is, however, substantially similar. The foot, as shown in Fig. 3, might be utilized under the following cir cumstances. Where a jack of conveniently small diameter is available, it may be desirable to insert the strut assemblage bodily, say between the innor and outer panels of the door, to rest at its opposite ends on the opposed pillars or stiles thereofto apply pressure to one of them. Such a device as is shown in Fig. 3, which represents anactual foot member 2%, inches in external diameter, could be used in such a situation.

To consider atypical combination as set up in Fig. 1, we may note initially that a foot as shown with a fiat bottom face is most convenient because the assembly will stand up of itself. The parts may be assembled one after another from the bottom up as a child piles up a column of toy blocks and such an assembly having an inherent degree of stability is more easily moved and positioned in its desired relation to the work at hand. The flat face provides a large area which is immediately in contact with the supporting surface to grip the same as pressure is applied. If we considera perfectly straight pressure along the axis of thefoot, a part is exerted on the relatively deep body of rubber overlying and entering the open center of the fitting 32, thus providing an enhanced resiliency in the device as a whole. The side portions 44 act as cantilevers yieldingly supporting the margins in the manner already described. If the pressure is exerted somewhat out of the line of the vertical, the resilient rubber provides for a differential compression- If the greater pressure is exerted at the right side of Fig. 2 to provide a certain component of force toward the left, the outer rounded wall of the annulus 36 which faces toward the right and the inner rounded wall to ward the left of the figure, which likewise faces toward the right, sustain this force. The canti- 2 lever section 44 at the right acts in compression against the anchorage provided by the cylindrical surface with its ribs 38 while. the portion 44 at the left is strongly anchored to the ribbed surface at that location. Any tendency to shear the rubber or to tear it loose from the member 32 is effectually resisted.

If it is necessary to rest the foot against an 4 edge, a line contact is provided for initially with a resultant stability facilitating the adjusting of the appliance and insuring its effective operation.

It will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and the present embodiment should therefore be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in several matters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to the appended claims to indicate those principles of the invention exemplified by the particular embodiment described and which it is desired to secure by Letters Patent.

We claim:

1. An abutment-engaging strut terminal for use with metal-bending jacks comprising a rigid metallic member having a coupling formation at one end for incorporating it in the jack assembly and having distally of the other end an integral transversely disposed annulus with a rounded axially presented terminal face, said annulus defining an overhanging shoulder and a body of firm yet yielding rubber surrounding said annulus and the shoulder thereof and bonded thereto and having a substantially flat face normally parallel to said annulus, the annulus defining an open center into which the body extends part way to provide a central cushioning body suspended from-the annulus.

2. An abutment-engaging strut terminal for use with metal-bending jacks comprising a hollow cylinder having a female thread at one end, a bulbous enlargement of its wall at the other end and circumferential ribs encircling its Wall, and a body offirm yet yielding rubber bonded to and about said enlargement, having a substantially fiat end face and having side walls extending over and interlocked with the ribs of the wall.

WILLIAM H. FERGUSON. JOHN W. GEDDES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France May 21, 1918' Number Number 

